Strasbourg shunned (again)

You have been warned. In its wisdom, the European Commission is organising an event for “social entrepreneurs” next month (16-17 January).

The Social Business Initiative takes the form of a two-day event in Strasbourg that is supposed to create “new connections across the social entrepreneurship ecosystem”. Commission President José Manuel Barroso is billed to speak, as well as three other European commissioners.

Unusually, the Commission is organising this event in the same week that the European Parliament is meeting in Strasbourg. The organisers admit that competition for hotel rooms – particularly on Wednesday 15 – will be keen. The Commission might just be calculating that, with the plenary agenda looking light and elections only four months away, MEPs and their staff will not be assiduous in their attendance.